Practice must go on

It wasn't all drama today. They actually did hold minicamp practices here at Giants Stadium.

But before I get to that, know that GM Jerry Reese had this to say about Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress this afternoon: "Internal business. I'm not talking about anything else, okay? It's just internal business and it'll be handled internally. That's all I have to say."

*WR Michael Jennings made a great catch near the sideline and tiptoed to get both feet in. However, there was no truth to initial reports that he then yelled, "That one was for you, jerzeerj56!" But maybe the second one was for you, jerz. And it was a beauty. Jennings used every inch of his (listed) 5-11 frame to reach up and grab a ball between CB Geoffrey Pope and rookie S Terrance Stringer.

*WR Amani Toomer and QB Eli Manning connected for a nice fade down the left sideline over CB Aaron Ross.

*RB Brandon Jacobs juked Pierce after catching a quick hitch over the middle. Hey, maybe this big guy does have some moves after all. (That's sarcasm, btw.) Jacobs then celebrated with a leaping hip bump with Ward.

*WR Steve Smith, clearly feeling Mario Manninghan breathing down the neck of his roster spot (also sarcasm), dropped a ball on a comeback to the right side. Manning put the ball low to keep it away from the cornerback, so Smith had to go down to get it, but he should have made the catch and he knew it. Manningham, coincidentally, made a catch on a similarly low ball from QB Anthony Wright a few minutes later.

*WR Todd Lowber, the former Ramapo track star, was wide open on a fade down the left side, but QB David Carr's pass floated and Lowber appeared to fight the ball more than attempt catch it. It bounced off his hands and to the ground for an incompletion.

*I still like what I see from CB Terrell Thomas. He was stride-for-stride with Manningham on a deep ball that fell incomplete. Thomas hasn't been perfect, but the second-round pick is, more often than not, close to his receiver.

*And it's not minicamp until an established veteran fights with some undrafted hopeful. Today, it was FB Madison Hedgecock and DE Alex Morrow who traded shoves for a few seconds on a punt return.

*DE Dave Tollefson, whose chances of contributing next year went up big time with Strahan's retirement, showed good awareness on an Smith end around.

*Nice ball from QB Jared Lorenzen to WR Domenik Hixon on a cross just above the LB in coverage. (Couldn't see which one it was.) Hixon later caught a fade for a TD from Manning and past CB Darren Barnett.

As for the afternoon, just a few tidbits:

*WR Sinorice Moss dropped three passes. Yikes.

*Nice PDs by CB R.W. McQuarters and Barnett. And give one to DT Jay Alford for batting down a screen pass in the backfield.

*Manning had a solid afternoon, especially when he fired a strike to Hixon over the middle.